National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) workshop: Saturday, May 18, 2019A free workshop designed to teach participants how to craft meaningful, substantive comments in opposition to inappropriate developments on public land. The workshop is being offered at this time because more desert advocates are needed to defend the desert we love. We are faced with increasingly complex public policy issues, such as the reopening of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) that will affect every aspect of the quality of life in the desert, and the soon-to-be-published WEMO LUPA (Land Use Plan Amendment) and SEIS (Supplemental Environmental Impact Statemement) (see below).

This workshop is being organized by expert and experienced environmental lawyers from Advocates of the West (https://advocateswest.org/) and the California Desert Coalition (https://www.cadesertcoalition.org). MBCA and the Conservation Lands Foundation are also providing support for this event. For more information see the mbconservation.org web page. Please RSVP to seth.shteir@gmail.com by May 12, 2019.

West Mojave Route Network Project (WEMO) Land Use Plan Amendment to be publishedThe West Mojave Route Network Project Land Use Plan Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and Final SEIS is now available for download. The anticipated date of the publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register is April 26, 2019. The publication will open a 30-day protest period.

MBCA has been tracking the WEMO process and has provided comments to the BLM regarding this lengthy and complicated document. Our comments have emphasized the importance of making ‘street legal only vehicle’ designations for many of the fractured discontinuous routes that have encouraged off-highway vehicle (OHV) use within our existing rural communities. MBCA will keep you informed of the status of this latest report by BLM as we study and digest the MANY documents that have been posted on the BLM website.

Paradise Valley Development Threatens Joshua Tree National ParkA 1,848-acre community within a 5,000-acre specific plan boundary is proposed in Riverside County on the southern border of Joshua Tree National Park. This development with 8,490 new dwelling units and up to 1,380,000 square feet of non-residential development would have a tremendous affect on the Park.

Chris Clarke, of the National Park Conservation Association has stated: This new city would place20-25,000 new human residents directly along the southern border of the park, furthering the urban walling-off of the park, with serious consequences for the ecological integrity of the park.

MBCA will continue to track this project to provide information for substantive comments in opposition and any updates on scheduled hearings.

We encourage you to learn about this ill-conceived development by reviewing the information from the Riverside County planning department (click here) and to write, email or call the Project Planner: Russell Brady (rbrady@arivco.org) at Riverside County Planning Department PO Box 1409 Riverside, CA 92502-1409. (951) 955-3025.

As of this writing, the Riverside County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider this development on May 15, 2019 at 4080 Lemon St., 1st floor, Riverside CA.

Thanks again to all the members and supporters of MBCA for your continued interest and activism that is demanded by the many threats that face us here in the desert.

Here comes the Landscape Tour! I have to get back out now and address the proliferation of unwanted plants that have come along with Super Bloom! I hope to see many of you on the Tour this weekend!